LOS ANGELES??I don?t think I can sleep tonight,? an energized Yam Laranas e-mailed us right after the world premiere of his ?The Echo? last Thursday evening at Fantasia, the Montreal fantasy and genre film festival, which is ongoing until tomorrow, July 21.

Here is the full text of Yam?s e-mail:

?The 700-seater Hall Theatre at Montreal?s Concordia University was packed with a very enthusiastic crowd. The Montreal audience was so involved. They reacted to every scare with screams, oohs and ahhs. They lined up as early as 6:30 p.m. for the 7:15 p.m. screening.

?It was a big crowd and they received the film with such warmth and interest. It was fun to see some of them cover their eyes or hide behind their friends? backs when the scares came.

More screenings

?They generally responded very well to the very atmospheric mood of ?The Echo.? A lot of them stayed for the Q&A. They had very interesting questions, especially about my own feelings about remaking my own film (?Sigaw?). They also voiced out their satisfaction and gave the film very loud applause and cheers!

?With humility, I am hoping that this screening is indicative of the reaction in other screenings to come.?

We asked Yam if Iza Calzado, who reprises her role in the American remake, was present at the screening in the film fest which has become one of North America?s important cinematic events. Earlier, the pioneering Filipino filmmaker told us that Iza was planning to go since she might attend a friend?s wedding in Vancouver. ?Iza wasn?t able to attend,? he told us.

On how Yam felt when the movie, which he shot mostly in Toronto, was about to begin, he confessed, ?I got nervous when the lights went down but I got really excited when the audience clapped upon seeing my name in the credits!?

Yam was asked in the Q&A if he will make another horror film. ?Yes. I?d like to explore more ways to create really scary scenes,? he replied. Does he always want to make a horror film? ?Not necessarily. I love to make films with great mood and atmosphere.?

The filmmaker volunteered, ?I saw a couple of Pinoys in the audience and they approached and congratulated me.?

Yam admitted, ?I wish I could celebrate and drink but I don?t drink anymore. I?d probably drink Diet Coke and have fun!?

Whirlwind trip

?It?s satisfying to finally see ?The Echo? with a North American crowd,? he added. ?I don?t think I can sleep tonight.?

It was a whirlwind trip for Yam. He arrived in Montreal from Manila the day before the screening and was scheduled to fly back home the day after (due to prior commitments).

Yam disclosed that the producers and distributors of his 90-minute thriller, which stars Jesse Bradford, Iza, Amelia Warner, Kevin Durand, Louise Linton, Carlos Leon and Pruitt Taylor Vince, have tentatively scheduled a January 2009 release in the United States.

In a previous e-mail, he informed us, ?I?m not sure if QED International will release the film in Southeast Asia during or after its US run. Last I heard was that QED sold the movie?s Southeast Asian distribution rights to a Singaporean conglomerate, and that Viva will release it in the Philippines.?

E-mail the columnist at rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com and read his blog, ?The Nepales Report,? on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.